Relevant Text: Neh. 8:12
Full Text: Neh. 8; Acts 18

Suspense | On Sunday night, my two preschool-age nephews and I gathered at the kitchen table to read The Magician’s Nephew. At first, they weren’t interested at all. I tried engaging them by having them say the characters’ names with me or by using my best British accent, but nothing seemed to work. Halfway through the first chapter, however, I realized what I needed to do – make the story more accessible. For example, instead of saying that Polly and Digory walked on “rafters” in an attic, I said that they stepped on “small pieces of wood through which they could fall at any moment.” After I changed a few more references like this, they got it. By the end of chapter one, they were hooked – so hooked, in fact, that neither one wanted to sleep alone that night because they were in suspense about what was going to happen to Polly!

Joy | Mere words on a page – spoken in an understandable and accessible way – can change how we feel about reality. After Ezra read from the Book of the Law, the Levites explained it, the people understood it, and everyone rejoiced: “They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’ … And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them[1].

Prayer | Lord, Your truth – followed by clear explanation – leads to great joy, which is our strength. Therefore, we praise you for your Word and for teachers of your Word. Thank you for making understanding and joy the path to salvation in you. Make us hope-filled saints who rejoice that we belong to you! Amen.

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Footnotes

[1] Neh. 8:8-10, 12 ESV